CPA expresses its concern publishing target group names

International Cycling Union (UCI) President Pat McQuaid met Cédric Vasseur, the new President of the Association of Professional Cyclists (CPA), at the UCI's headquarters in Aigle on 12 December. The two, along with other CPA delegates discussed a wide range of subjects during the meeting, including the publication of the names of the riders in the UCI's target group.

CPA representatives described problems that had arisen as a result of the publication of the names by the UCI on its website. This list gives the names of riders obliged to disclose their whereabouts to allow out-of-competition testing. At the CPA's request, the UCI stated that this list would be removed as a matter of urgency.

From 1 January 2008, all riders in ProTour and Professional Continental Teams with wildcard status must provide details of their whereabouts as part of the introduction of biological passports. (Read Online whereabouts system to replace fax.) The target group will therefore be extended to the whole of the peloton, and, for this reason, the publication of a list is no longer justified.

The CPA stated the need for its members to have great say in decisions made by the cycling union. The two parties considered that riders' representatives should be more systematically consulted on subjects that concern their profession.